Deer hair alternatives???

[Gringo]

I want to tie some bushy white water flies, and my body idea is of closely clipped spun deer hair.

Now, spinning deer hair is a pain, especially if it is only going to be a body and get mostly trimmed right off. I want to persist with it (or something like it) because of the great "floatability" it has.

I have been wondering about something.... Surely there is an alternative to use here? I am thinking about chenille but it doesn't float as well, and to do a dubbed body I might as well just spin the deer hair; same effort and inconvenience if you know what I mean.

Thinking about peacock herl (also too fragile) and emu but none of these are great "floaters" like deer. Strung CDC is too "shaggy." I'm a bit of a traditionalist: I don't use a lot of synthetics or foam products in my tying, I prefer naturals. If I knew of something though I think I would be tempted here, I cannot think of a natural that will do the same job.

I just need a quick and easy highly "floatable" body with that SPIKY FLY appearance that clipped hair has, and doesn't go soggy like chenille.

Any ideas what would suffice?

[Bamboozle]

Gringo:

I don't have a "spiky" solution but I have been using foam as the body material for a "fast water" version of an Elk Wing Caddis for years; I call them "Foamies".

I buy cylindrical foam from Bill Skilton that is sold for extended bodies & what have you and comes in various diameters. I use the 1/8" size for a size 16 fly if that helps.

I pre-cut the foam the length of the hook shank and then I CAREFULLY slit it halfway through the diameter with a sharp razor blade.

After securing the thread to the hook and wrapping a layer on the shank, I slip the foam over the hook via the slit and lash it down with some loose thread wraps which secures it and looks like ribbing. It could also be glued but I don't bother. After that I tie the rest of the EWC as normal with palmered hackle. Of course you could just lash the foam cylinder to the top of the hook shank but I like the way the slit version looks. One thing I have discovered is if you compress the foam too much with too many wraps of thread or use too heavy a hook for the foam size you choose, the buoyancy of the foam is compromised. If you get it right they float GREAT!

They look pretty good too and to be honest are hard to tell from the dubbed bodied versions. There are LOTS of colors to choose from as well. I use the same "slitting" attachment technique to make extended bodied flies too. I use a hot pin to make a small hole in the end of the foam and glue Microfibbettes in the hole for a tail.

Sorry I have no pictures. I am actually OUT of Foamies at the moment and have to tie some up after the other 20 patterns on my to-do list.

[dudley]

Tying a Humpy with a foam back is easier than with the traditional deer hair back

[fishbum]

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spun deer hair bodies for small flies, or any size fly, is a matter of practice. There are also no replacements that have the charicteristics that deer hair has. Be sure you are using the right hair. Some hair won't spin worth a hoot.

Keep at it and don't lose hope,

fishbum

[Buddy Sanders]

Foam.

No real bug body is 'spiky' (properly spun and trimmed deer hair isn't spikey either, should look more like cork).

Foam is not only a better 'imitation', but floats better, feels more natural in the fishes mouth, and is way faster to do than deer hair for fast water applications. Remember that in faster water, the fish gets less time to 'see' the fly.

I just cut strips from 2mm craft foam and wrap it on the hook. Either rib it with something, or hit the high spots with a magic marker to highlight the segmentation.

I do like spun/stacked deer hair for many flies, but fast water trout flies isn't it.

Buddy

[ducksterman]

I'd use foam also.... and if you want some spiky look I would suggest palmering with a short dry fly hackle and trim if necessary.

[Gringo]

No real bug body is 'spiky' (properly spun and trimmed deer hair isn't spikey either, should look more like cork).

That's exactly what I am looking for: that "cork" look and the float of hair without the effort and mess!

There must be an easier way...

[DShock]

Gringo,
You might try taking a foam body, spraying it with adhesive and rolling it in hare's ear dubbing??
Doug

[DDRRedneck500]

Gringo,
You might try taking a foam body, spraying it with adhesive and rolling it in hare's ear dubbing??
Doug

i would have never in a million years thought of that... thats genious...where did you get that idea?

[Gringo]

I am thinking of those ideas - my best one so far is to tie on the tubular plastic (larva lace) type stuff; coat the top with glue and sprinkle on some saw dust or similar; then dab the top with brown texta and the bottom with cream or yellow to give a nice segmented appearance with a spiky top. Lot of mucking around though, mite be easier to spin the deer hair!